Summary
There’s nothing more frustrating than when a great TV show is canceled too soon, and plenty of great comedies have been cut short in recent years. Comedy shows often need more time than drama shows to find their audience, but this tests the patience of networks and streaming platforms. Unfortunately, if a comedy show doesn’t hit the ground running, it’s always at risk of cancelation.
These days, TV cancelations seem to be happening more frequently, and more unpredictably, than ever before. The streaming era has meant that there are more shows competing for people’s attention. Shows which don’t instantly rise to this competition can be canceled, even if they have dedicated cult followings. There are many great TV comedies which deserved one more chance.
10 TV Show Cancelations After Just 1 Season That We Still Haven’t Forgiven
A few TV shows have been canceled prematurely after just 1 season, leaving fans upset and wondering what their future would’ve looked like.
Our Flag Means Deathhad the comedy pedigree ofFlight of the Conchordsstar Rhys Darby and the multi-talented Taika Waititi in the two lead roles, but this couldn’t save it from cancelation. The pirate comedy only lasted for two seasons, and it left plenty of unanswered questions which fans wanted to see explored further in season 3.Our Flag Means Death’s cancelationsparked a fan campaign to save the show, but this was unsuccessful.
The story of a wealthy man trading his comfortable lifestyle for the adventure and danger of piracy may seem far-fetched, but this is based on the true story of Stede Bonnet.
Darby and Waititi may be the stars, butOur Flag Means Death’s cast has many wonderful comedic actors, especially on board the Revenge. The story of a wealthy man trading his comfortable lifestyle for the adventure and danger of piracy may seem far-fetched, but this is based on the true story of Stede Bonnet. This real-world context makes the bizarre adventure even funnier, butOur Flag Means Deathcan get surprisingly emotional at times.Stede’s relationship with Blackbeard is genuinely heartwarming, even amid the silly plots and fast-paced humor.
From its very first episode,Final Spaceproves that it’s more ambitious than most animated sci-fi comedies. The space opera doesn’t quite fit into the same category asFuturamaorRick and Morty,but it can still deliver plenty of laughs. The show follows the intergalactic adventures of Gary Goodspeed and his strange alien sidekick as they try to save the universe and uncover the mysteries of “Final Space” the only unexplored area in the cosmos.
The space opera doesn’t quite fit into the same category asFuturamaorRick and Morty,but it can still deliver plenty of laughs.
Final Spacehas a fantastic ensemble cast, which includes David Tennant, Conan O’Brien and Fred Armisen.They manage to keep the show light and funny, even while it explores existential quandaries with jaw-dropping visuals. Despite its premature cancelation,Final Spaceis continuingin the form of a comic book from series creator and star Olan Rogers, so fans will get some closure to Gary’s story.
8Garfunkel & Oates (2014)
The musical comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates were popular before their show, and they have blossomed in the years since, butthey definitely deserved more than one season of their self-titled sitcom. The show is a quasi-autobiographical look at the duo’s attempts to make it big in the entertainment industry.Garfunkel and Oatesshows the band’s mastery of profane humor.
Garfunkel and Oatessits at the intersection betweenFlight of the ConchordsandBroad City.
The dynamic between the outgoing Riki and the shy, immature Kate is the basis for many of their adventures, but a lot of the episodes are about the two of them teaming up against the world. The songs are dropped in beautifully, and they never slow the pace of the comedy or the plot.Garfunkel and Oatessits at the intersection betweenFlight of the ConchordsandBroad City. It just never got the chance to be as big as either of these shows.
7Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998-2007)
The show which introduced improv to so many people went on a 10-year break
Whose Line is it Anywayplatformed improv comedy like no other show. Many of the games that the cast play onWhose Lineare fairly standard for anyone with any knowledge of improv, but the performers are so quick-witted and downright likable that the show always feels fresh. Some of the show’s most popular games include Party Quirks, in which one performer has to guess the characters being thrown at them, and Greatest Hits, which makes use of Wayne Brady’s incredible talent for improvising song lyrics.
The revival series was a hit. It’s still a shame that fans missed out on a decade’s worth ofWhose Lineshows during the show’s hiatus.
Whose Linewas canceled in 2003, although new episodes formed from previously unseen material aired until 2007. The show was thankfully revived, but by the time it started up again, it had been dormant for ten years. Aisha Tyler replaced Drew Carey in the hosting chair, but Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles all returned as performers. The revival series was a hit. It’s still a shame that fans missed out on a decade’s worth ofWhose Lineshows during the show’s hiatus.
The first episode ofThe Last Man on Earthprovides a brilliant introduction to its main character. Phil travels across the country collecting treasures which have been rendered worthless, and he passes the time by talking to sports equipment. When he finally finds other surviving humans, he craves interaction, even though he quickly annoys everyone he comes into contact with.
As more characters are introduced,The Last Man on Earthbecomes a less unique sitcom, but the ensemble cast is always good value.
The Last Man on Earthended on a cliffhanger, with Phil and his small group of fellow survivors suddenly surrounded by dozens of other people who had been living underground. Season 5 looked like it could recapture the excitement of the show’s first two seasons with this tease, but it never got the chance. As more characters are introduced,The Last Man on Earthbecomes a less unique sitcom, but the ensemble cast is always good value.
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplaceis a spoof of schlocky retro horror shows, but it’s also a brilliant send-up of bad fiction in general. Matthew Holness plays Garth Marenghi, a prolific horror writer who prides himself on the fact that he has written more books than he’s read.Darkplaceuses interviews with Marenghi and other actors on his fictional show to break up the terrible plotlines.
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplaceis a spoof of schlocky retro horror shows, but it’s also a brilliant send-up of bad fiction in general.
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplaceis one of the mostunderrated British sitcoms, and many of its stars have gone on to become the country’s leading comedic voices, including Matt Berry, Julian Barratt and Richard Ayoade.Matthew Holness has recently revived the character of Garth Marenghiwith some books penned by his fictional author, riding the wave of the cult fandom that his short-lived show generated.
The first three seasons ofArrested Developmentare masterpieces of complicated comedy. Each episode weaves together several disparate plot threads, and the abundance of callbacks and running gags ensures that the comedy builds and builds as the seasons progress. Despite its dedicated cult following,Arrested Developmentmay have been too alienating for casual viewers, and the show was canceled due to its poor viewing figures.
Arrested Development’s Bluth family is stacked with comedic talent, each of whom could easily lead their own sitcom.
Arrested Developmentwas eventually revived for two more seasons by Netflix, starting in 2013. By this time, the spark had vanished.Arrested Development’s Bluth familyis stacked with comedic talent, each of whom could easily lead their own sitcom. The fact that the Netflix seasons couldn’t always schedule the actors to be in the same room at the same time was just one of its many problems. It could have been much more successful if it had never been canceled to begin with.
Fans ofIt’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaandCurb Your Enthusiasmare sure to love the conniving, self-interested Chloe in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, but while the two former shows have been allowed to run on for as long as the creators see fit, the latter show was cut down in its prime.One thing working against the show may be its terrible name, but this merely conceals a wonderful sitcom.
Fans ofIt’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaandCurb Your Enthusiasmare sure to love the conniving, self-interested Chloe inDon’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.
Chloe is the titular B—-, and she more than lives up to this billing. She scrapes together her rent money with a handful of petty crimes, and her exploits are another one of the twisted ways she amuses herself. The show contrasts her with June, a naive young lamb in the big city who finds the worst possible roommate she could have hoped for. Their dynamic is endlessly watchable, but there are only two seasons ofDon’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23to enjoy.
Netflix has had a patchy record with original comedy shows, butGLOWwas one of the good ones. The show is a fictionalized retelling of the story behind the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a 1980s TV show which put women in the ring.GLOWmines plenty of humor out of the dissonance between the hardships that the performers face and the ludicrous, over-the-top production of their wrestling show.
GLOWhas buckets of retro style, but it draws parallels between the grim state of women’s sports and entertainment in the 1980s and the modern day.
GLOWwas meant to have a fourth season to finish the story, but this plan was nixed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three seasons that did make it to air are still well worth watching.GLOWhas buckets of retro style, but it draws parallels between the grim state of women’s sports and entertainment in the 1980s and the modern day. Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin are great fun, and they can also inject plenty of emotion when the show calls for it.
As one can expect from Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator ofGilmore Girls,The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselis filled with snappy dialogue and oddball characters. The series follows an unfulfilled housewife who embarks on a career as a stand-up comedian in 1950s New York when her husband cheats on her.The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselis gorgeous to look at, with plenty of charming period touches and Midge’s extravagant wardrobe taking center stage.
Rachel Brosnahan stars as the titular comedian, and she is supported by a wonderful cast. Tony Shalhoub’s anxious father character and Alex Borstein’s tenacious talent manager are two particular standouts.
Rachel Brosnahan stars as the titular comedian, and she is supported by a wonderful cast. Tony Shalhoub’s anxious father character and Alex Borstein’s tenacious talent manager are two particular standouts. Although it was canceled,The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s endingmanages to provide satisfying send-offs for all its great characters in its final season. Amy Sherman-Palladino has hinted that Amazon Prime Video canceled the show to make room in the budget for the ludicrously expensiveRings of Power.
